Actionable-object controller and data-entry device for touchscreen-based electronics

ABSTRACT

Various systems, methods and apparatus are described, such as for engaging a touchscreen user interface. A first example includes a multi-function transceiver device having comprehensive and scalable mapping capabilities for use in a control environment. A second example includes a or the multi-function transceiver device being further equipped to perform specialized functions, such as Internet-based information-kiosk-type function(s). A third example includes a or the multi-function transceiver device, which may be Internet-connected, capable of being wirelessly and remotely controlled by a user via an app (e.g., via a teleoperation comprising a tablet, smartphone or mobile device (having said app)). A fourth example includes an apparatus performing one or a series of mechanical gestures (mechanical touch-induced control operations—such as single-touch, multi-touch, etc.) on a display screen and/or a user interface (UI). A fifth example includes technology that can turn any surface into touch-enabled controls for (wirelessly) controlling UIs, apps, etc. These are just some examples (as non-limiting embodiments).

This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119 from at leastU.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/282,692, filed on Mar. 18,2010; U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/344,158 filed Jun. 2,2010; U.S. Pat. No. 9,411,467 filed on Sep. 23, 2015; and CIPApplication 20160328082, filed by the inventor on Jun. 28, 2016. Thedisclosures of each of the common-ownership filings cited in thisparagraph and those under common ownership cited in the specificationbody below are incorporated in their entireties herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to the technical field oftouchscreen-based electronics. Touchscreen-based electronics, in both aportable and stationary environment, can include a wide array of devicessuch as: personal and notebook computers, netbooks, ATMs, POS orinformation kiosks, ticket-dispensing machines, portable media players,personal digital assistants, monitors, televisions, tablets, brandedi-devices and Mobile Internet Devices or MIDs, such as multi-media andInternet-enabled Smart phones; although this list is not intended to beexhaustive.

Touchscreens allow users of these devices to input commands, engage indata entry or otherwise control an actionable object or on-screengraphic through touch—typically by finger, thumb or stylus contact. Thetouchscreen senses the coordinates of the “touch,” through any of thevarying means of touchscreen-based technologies, including, but notsuggestive of limitation to, those that are capacitive-and-resistivegoverned. The coordinate data registered via “touch-sensing” can then berelayed to the device's microcontroller (or processor) for relatedprocessing and can further see execution by software associated withapplications running on the particular device in order to initiate adesired action.

Coordinate-data determination at the point of contact, of course, beingtechnology specific. With resistive touchscreen technologies, forexample, the touchscreen panel is comprised of several layers; notablytwo electrically-conductive membranes that are typically separated by anextremely thin non-conductive gap. When pressure is applied to theflexible topmost layer, contact is made with its conductive pairing,effectively completing “the circuit” at the point of contact and thus,engaging the related hardware for specific coordinate-data determinationand related processing.

In a capacitive-sensor system, the touchscreen panel, typically glasscoated with a material such as indium tin oxide to enhance conductivityacross a sensor device, acts as a sensor. In preamble, a biologicalproperty of the human body is its ability to carry and store anelectrical charge—a case in reference being the electrons contained inyour finger. The capacitive-sensor system utilizes a conductive input,usually a user's finger, to register touch (and is ideally capable ofcollectively tracking 10 or more fingers concurrently). Finger contactwith the capacitive-based touchscreen panel alters the electrostaticfield, which is then interpreted by the processor and device's software,such as any pre-installed input-driven software, translating this touchinto a gesture or command. Respective capacitive touchscreens featureelectrostatic-field monitoring circuitry, with points that can bearranged in the form of a grid. Each point on the grid is designed toregister changes in electrostatic fields and process them accordingly,making multi-touch and multi-gestures possible.

Input-driven software may include touch-requisite applications such asthose fueling an ever-growing list of smart-phone “apps”. In associativetransition, despite mobile apps being wildly popular, a directconsequence of the pocket-sized footprint of portable gadgets may see auser experience that is greatly attenuated by significant limitations ofcontrol of an actionable object or “an on-screen graphic”. Contributingfactors may include the device's small screen size and tiny on-screencontrol-keys, the size and sensitivity of the positioning of a user'sfingers, the lack of a tactile reference point, the diversity andchanging landscape of the soft keys and the unnatural fit for many ofcontrolling or navigating an actionable object whilst thetouchscreen-enabled hardware is concurrently grasped. In the ease ofgaming applications on portable hardware, where control of an actionableobject or player for a particular gaming title becomes more intricate,these limitations of control can be exacerbated.

The imprecise nature of traditional, graphic-based actionable-objectcontrol may be especially apparent when console-born gaming titles areadapted to the small screen (pocket gaming), and controllers, controlmodels and/or control efficacy between both platforms can be comparedbased on a user's experience. Even simple left, right, upward anddownward navigation that is engaged by a touch screen's soft buttons orkeys, in a traditional manner, may prove difficult to execute in certainenvironments. Peer-based, business or SMS (Short Message Service)texting and data-entry applications, additionally, can suffer from atiny-portable footprint, where the “hunt and peck”, for example, may notalways be as productive as first intended. With one's finger size oftenbigger than the soft keys or buttons it was designed for, this can lenditself to accidental “key bleed” between neighboring keys—that is, withneighboring keys accidentally being touched in data-entry execution overthe intended ones or, similarly, a plurality of keys accidentally beingtouched concurrently, instead of an intended single-key execution.

Circumstances may generally arise where it would be desirable to operatethe soft inputs on the touchscreen device from a distance or usingalternate input modalities to a traditional means; in both a portableand stationary (notwithstanding its larger form factor) environment. Byway of example, and not limitation, this means potentially designingaway from applications in which the user directly touches the displayand/or directly handles the device.

SUMMARY

It is to be understood that the following partial summary, detaileddescription and any of the accompanying subject matter are exemplary andexplanatory in nature. Each serving as a descriptive pigment to theinvention being claimed. Neither the summary nor the description thatfollows, nor any of the accompanying subject matter, is intended todefine or limit the scope of the invention to the particular aspectsand/or features mentioned therefrom.

Embodiments herein are directed to systems, devices and methods for atleast expanding and/or performably enhancing control modalities used inthe manipulation of soft inputs on a touchscreen device; in bothstationary and portable device environments.

In one aspect, one or more manipulable conductive interfaces areoperably, mappably and wirelessly coupled to the user interface of atleast one linked touchscreen device in order to control one or more ofits soft inputs.

In another aspect, one or more manipulable conductive interfaces areoperatively coupled with a touchscreen device using a serviceableconductive path and a conductive actuator at endpoint to control one ormore of its soft inputs.

According to a further embodiment, an intermediary-transceiver device ormember comprising at least one of a transceiver (defined as a radiotransmitter-receiver) and wireless unit or module is described. Thetransceiver configuration at least serving as a mediating agent andconfigured to wirelessly relay control signals it receives, from anoriginating input device linked thereto, to a succeedingly linkedtouchscreen device (e.g. a remote mappable terminus) when controllingits soft-inputs and/or user interface. In a consanguineous disclosure tothe parent patent and at least the present embodiment, threetransceiver-based control modalities are described in association andcomprise an exemplary form.

In an embodiment, a conductive controller may be positionedconterminously, proximately and/or contactually to a touchscreen. Thecontroller can be configured to provide a physical and conductiveinterface for a soft controller being displayed as, for example, softkeys or buttons on a touchscreen.

Further to this embodiment, the conductive controller may have one ormore input ends and one or more linked output ends that service aconductive path and can be operatively coupled to the soft buttons orelements of a touchscreen. Operative coupling in this manner permits acapacitive load to be distributed at least through the output ends andonto the one or more soft inputs when at least the input ends are beingmanipulated by a user and the output ends are in the actuating position.The output ends may comprise one or more non-abrasive conductivematerials, interfaces or elements.

Unlike resistive touchscreens that sense pressure on a touchscreen froman output end regardless of the presence of an electrical signal,traditional capacitive touchscreens are based on electrostatic fieldsand require a conductive path to remain present between the input andoutput end for such controller articulations.

In another aspect, an embodiment teaches how varying the contactualalignment of the output ends with the soft-buttons, for instance at thesoft-button's outermost edges, allows for physical expansion of the sizeof the tactile controller from the fixed dimensions of the soft-buttoncontroller, which may be coveted in scenarios revolving around apocket-gaming environment.

In an exemplary remote embodiment, a controller assembly provides for aremote interface to occur between at least one of a physical controllerand input interface and a soft controller disposition displayed on atouchscreen display. Remote operation may comprise at least an arm'slength spacing between at least one of the user and the controllermodality and the touchscreen device being operated by a user. That is,as embodied, an actionable-object and/or soft-input controller isconfigured to operate remotely from a device created for the controlinput of a finger or touch—an an action denoting the touchscreen's ownnamesake. Remote operation is delineated in both wired and wirelessexpressions.

According to a haptic embodiment, a hand-held controller comprises avibration motor that is engaged according to directives administeredthrough one or more haptic associations with a broadcast agent (such asa capacitive touchscreen device). Haptic association may be linked withat least one of a transceiver, touchscreen user interface and capacitiveload or haptic directives can be interpreted directly by aspecially-designed, independent hand-held controller. Both wired andwireless mediums may be utilized in a haptic environment for at leastthe act of operable coupling.

According to an embodiment, a keyboard, with at least its keys madeoperably conductive, is operatively coupled with a touchscreen deviceand provides the user with a physical interface for manipulating one ormore remote soft-buttons, soft-keys or soft-inputs. Operative couplingmay comprise at least one of a physical contact coupling and a wirelesscoupling, as an example.

One or more of the described embodiments may use an AV output meansconfigured to connect to a touchscreen device that allows touchscreendevice output to be viewed on a television screen, freeing touchscreendevice input and/or output from the constraints of the touchscreendevice.

In some embodiments, an innate capacitive source and capacitive manageris configured for replacing a user, more particularly, for replacing theuser's capacitive load distribution or control input of a finger. Theconfiguration permits soft inputs to be engaged without direct usercontact or, similarly, without a direct conductive path being presentbetween input and output ends by drawing from the innate capacitivesource in environments thereby disposed. Not suggestive of limitation.

These and other articulations of the present invention falling withinits scope are pabulum of the disclosure and its associated drawings.Non-traditional input interfaces for touch-screen based electronics areherein imparted, an impetus at the core of all filings under at leastthe title: ACTIONABLE-OBJECT CONTROLLER AND DATA-ENTRY ATTACHMENT FORTOUCHSCREEN-BASED ELECTRONICS.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form a partof the specification, illustrate exemplary embodiments and, togetherwith the description, can serve to enable a person skilled in the art tomake and use these embodiments and others made apparent to those skilledin the art. The invention will be more particularly described inconjunction with the following drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top view of a soft-key or soft-button touchscreen controller(graphically-based) and a controllable or actionable object on atouchscreen, according to prior art.

FIG. 2A illustrates a touchscreen-controller attachment, according to anembodiment.

FIG. 2B depicts a touchscreen-controller attachment conductively affixedto the soft keys or soft buttons of a touchscreen, according to anembodiment.

FIG. 3A represents an unattached controller assembly, designed forremote operation, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 3B portrays a controller assembly designed for remote operation;conductively married by attachment to the soft buttons or keys of atouchscreen, according to an embodiment. (See also FIGS. 10A, 10B)

FIG. 4A illustrates a simplified, cross-sectioned side view of anattachable-controller assembly, as affixed, respectively, to thetouchscreen, with the correlative conductive elements in constantcontact with the touchscreen, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 4B depicts a simplified, cross-sectioned side view of anattachable-controller assembly, as affixed, respectively, to thetouchscreen, with the correlative conductive elements disengaged fromthe touchscreen at rest, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 5 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a touchscreen-controllerattachment, with a single, spring-mounted conductive element, accordingto an embodiment.

FIG. 6 portrays a touchscreen-controller attachment, borrowing inexpression from a traditional joystick controller, primarily through itsshaft design and curvilineal conductive top, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a drawing that features a customizable navigation-controlsystem, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 8A illustrates a user-device suspension apparatus, according to anembodiment.

FIG. 8B is a cross-sectional view illustrating the elements of acontroller attachment as it is attached to, through an adjustable stem,a receptive suspension device, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 9A relates to FIG. 9B and depicts three exemplary controlmodalities, according to an embodiment. Each of the control modalitiesshown in FIG. 9A is consistent with and echoic of the fundamentaldisclosure of the intermediary-transceiver device first made public inparent patent U.S. Pat. No. 8368662.

FIG. 9B illustrates a mediating technology configured with a wirelesscomponent and is at least purposed for controlling one or more linkedtouchscreen soft inputs, according to an embodiment.

FIGS. 10A and 10B are views of a touchscreen-controller assembly,designed for remote operation, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 11 depicts a means of expanding the size of thetouchscreen-controller attachment, against a fixed set of soft buttons,according to an embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a listing diagram of components related to a data-entryensemble; including a touchscreen-controller attachmentmatrix—comprising a plurality of conductive elements; a receptivekeyboard, keypad or data-entry device designed to engage soft data-entryor soft buttons and a hardware touchscreen; according to an embodiment.

FIG. 13 is an associative diagram of the touchscreen-controllerattachment matrix and its correct attachment sequence to the graphicalor touchscreen-based soft buttons or data-entry buttons at the matrix'sface 50-F and its integration with the conductive keys (partiallyillustrated for clarity using only two conductive keys or the actionableletters “A” and “B”) of a receptive keyboard, keypad or data-entrydevice, via extension from the matrix's back, according to anembodiment.

FIG. 14 is an illustration of an embodiment suggesting the premise of“toggle-mode”, in the spirit and scope of this discourse.

FIG. 15 is an illustration of a plurality of various character orkeyboard sets that are linked in a toggle, the premise of “toggle” beingrequisite for devices subject to space limitations.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments herein are directed to systems, devices and methods forimproving input function of soft-button controllers (graphicalrepresentations that are engaged by—or respond to—the control input of afinger in order to carry out a function) and/or any respective soft keyor keys and/or graphical representations situated on a capacitivetouchscreen, particularly; in both stationary and portable devices.

The disclosures herein are provided to lend instance to the operationand methodology of the various embodiments and are neither intended tosuggest limitation in breadth or scope nor to suggest limitation to theclaims appended hereto. Furthermore, such exemplary embodiments may beapplicable to all suitable touchscreen-hardware platforms (tablets,smart phones, monitors, televisions, point-of-display, etceteras) andcan also include all suitable touchscreen technologies, beyondcapacitive and capacitance governed, such as those inclined withresistive touchscreens that, too, respond to touch input, albeit withits own peculiarities related to the technology. Those skilled in theart will understand and appreciate the actuality of variations,combinations and equivalents of the specific embodiments, methods andexamples listed herein.

The embodiment(s) described, and references in the specification to “oneembodiment”, “an embodiment”, “an example embodiment”, etc., indicatethat the embodiment(s) described may include a particular feature,structure, or characteristic. Such phrases are not necessarily referringto the same embodiment. When a particular feature, structure, orcharacteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, personsskilled in the art may effect said feature, structure, or characteristicin connection with other embodiments whether or not explicitlydescribed.

While a functional element may be illustrated as being located within aparticular structure, other locations of the functional element arepossible. Further, the description of an embodiment and the orientationand layout of an element in a drawing are for illustrative purposes onlyand are not suggestive of limitation. Changes, for example, to a definedconstruction, an operational manner, the platform and/or applicationenvironment, etceteras, may be made without departing from the spiritand scope of the titled invention and its parental lineage. It is notedthat the diagrams are not to scale.

In the several figures, like reference numerals may be used for likeelements having like functions even in different drawings. Theembodiments described, and their detailed construction and elements, maybe merely provided to assist in a comprehensive understanding of theinvention or to assist with understanding general principles of theinvention.

Thus, it is apparent that the present invention can be carried out in avariety of ways, and does not require any of the specific featuresdescribed herein. Also, well-known functions or constructions are notdescribed in detail since they would obscure the invention withunnecessary detail.

In the description that follows, the term “portable device” encompassesportable media players, personal digital assistants, laptop computers,tablets, branded i-devices and multimedia and Internet-enabled smartphones, amongst others similarly situated.

In the description that follows, the term “stationary device”encompasses a device that is generally operated in a fixed location. Astationary device may be movable or transportable, but is generally notoperated while in transit.

Whilst embodiments may be illustrated using portable devices, theparticularity of these embodiments are not limited to application ofportable devices and may instead be applied to stationary devices. Forpurposes of the discussion that follows, the term “user device”encompasses both portable and stationary devices.

In the discourse that follows, the terms “soft button” or “soft keys”can encompass a graphical representation such as, but not limited to, aD-pad (directional pad) or gamepad, a physical button, a switch, apointer, an alphanumeric key, data-entry key or any input-seekinggraphical representation on a touchscreen; that may be engaged by a userthrough touch in order to enter a command, indicate a selection, inputdata or engage or control an actionable object located on thetouchscreen. Touch gestures are registered by the touchscreen throughinterpretation by a processor; in collaboration with the respectivesoftware running on the user device.

In the description that follows, the term “attachment” generally refersto a device or assembly that is placed in contact with the soft-buttonson a touchscreen for purposes of engaging control of an actionableobject or series of objects, such as those that may be present ingaming, enterprise, office suites, text or data-entry, media, graphicsand presentation applications, although these applications are notsuggestive of limitation. In certain scenarios, soft-button deploymentthrough attachment contact is not automatic and requires priormanipulation of usually proximal conductive elements for engagement. Inother scenarios, the need for attachments is replaced by using awireless disposition. In further scenarios still, the need forattachment is replaced by a temporary contactual application made by anapplicator or application process. An attachment may be adapted for bothwired and wireless expressions.

In the description that follows, the term “remote operation” may referto use of a physical controller assembly, an interface (e.g. a userinterface) or device that is intended to be operated at a distance fromthe touchscreen being controlled. It may also generally refer to anycommand or input originating from a user or non-user positioned remotelyfrom the touchscreen. It is noted that the term “user input” is not tobe inferred as being limited to touch input and may include any inputoriginating from the user.

Embodiments of the present invention are described in more detail below,under dissertation of introduced Figures, with reference to theaccompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 illustrates a top view of a soft-key or soft-button controllerand an actionable or controllable object on a touchscreen, according toprior art.

A user device 5 utilizes a touchscreen 10. An application running on theuser device 5 displays soft buttons 20 that are designed to affectcontrol of an actionable object 15. The actionable object 15 isillustrated as a graphic on the touchscreen 10 and may be a player,character, numerical or alphabetic rendering, cursor, pointer, icon orany other graphical representation that is typically controlled by therendered soft button inputs 20. In a data-entry sense, the termactionable object 15 can be used interchangeably with the soft-buttons20 themselves. Such is the case when a soft-button, for instance,comprises an alphanumeric character. In this way, as a soft-button istouch engaged, it can directly translate the gesture into user input ina data-entry application.

As noted previously, due to a user device's 5 potentially small-screensize and concomitant tiny on-screen soft buttons 20, significantlimitations of control can be a direct consequence of a small footprint;making precise or intended control of the actionable object 15 difficultin a native, attachmentless state.

FIG. 2A illustrates a touchscreen-controller attachment 102, accordingto an embodiment. Other modalities of contactual screen application forthe distribution of a conductive path are possible. FIG. 2B illustratesa touchscreen-controller attachment 102 with the respective conductiveelements 106 conductively associated to the soft keys 20 or soft buttons20 of a touchscreen 10, according to an embodiment. Some elements ofFIG. 2A may not be reproduced in FIG. 2B since contactual overlay is theelementary focus.

A touchscreen-controller attachment 102 as depicted may comprise anattachment base 104 containing a conductive element 106 or plurality ofconductive elements 106. The conductive elements 106 may be made of anyelectrically-conductive material or materials, including but not limitedto, conductive polymers such as polyaniline, conductive gels, conductiveliquids, conductive wire, any material that is conductively (exhibitingconductivity) coated—such as with the use of treated and/or dipped foam,thread, or fibers—used alone, in filler compositions or in a series ofconductive combinations, as aptly conjoined. The material of theconductive elements 106 are preferably chosen and/or shielded to benon-abrasive to the touchscreen 10.

Excluding the housed conductive elements 106, the touchscreen-controllerattachment 102 may be comprised of a non-conductive material ormaterials, such as plastic or rubber. The back, screen or “attachment”side of the touchscreen-controller attachment 102 according to thisfigure is designed to contact the touchscreen 10, with thetouchscreen-controller attachment's 102 opposing face, (the actuating or“user” side) accessible by a user of the user device 5. The conductiveelements 106 are designed for contact with the soft buttons 20 (see FIG.1 and FIG. 2B) from the attachment side and see the element's conductivepath extended, respectively, to an accessible position of touch input onthe actuating or “user” side of the user device 5.

The attachment base 104 may be affixed to the touchscreen 10 by suction,static, removable adhesive backing or any other appropriate means. Aremoval tab 108 provides for removal of the attachment base 104 from thetouchscreen 10.

As illustrated in FIG. 2B, the embodied touchscreen-controllerattachment 102 is communicatively applied in such a manner that theconductive elements 106 are in contactual and respective alignment withthe soft buttons 20 displayed on the touchscreen 10. This alignmentpermits the capacitive load or capacitance stored, for example, in theuser's finger (which is also an electrical conductor) to be conveyedthrough the conductive elements 106 upon touch at the “input” end andthus alter the amount of charge at the corresponding “output” end seeingtouchscreen 10 contact, just as if the user was directly touching thesoft-buttons 20 of a touchscreen 10 by the instrumentality of finger ortouch input. Said contact may then be interpreted by both the processorand software of the device and relayed, accordingly, to engage controlof an actionable object 15. A conductive path thus “extends” the softbuttons 20 of the touchscreen 10 to the entirety of the conductiveelements 106. In this way, the touchscreen-controller attachment 102 canoffer the user a vastly improved, more refined means of controlling acontrollable or actionable object 15 over its “native”, attachmentlessstate.

In contrast with direct finger contact with the soft buttons 20, thetouchscreen-controller attachment 102 provides for a physicalinterface—that can be scalable—assisting the user in tactile referenceof a touchscreen's 10 “button geography”. Such tactile reference couldprove quite advantageous in yielding more precise control, comfort,convenience and a greater parallel to familiarity of habit with aninterface that may borrow certain physical expression or expressionsfrom traditional control structures of video-game consoles, amongstother advantages. The touchscreen-controller attachment 102, toelaborate in a tactile sense, provides a physical reference point thatreduces a user's need for visual confirmation of the location of thesoft buttons 20. With traditional, standalone soft-button controllers inaction, as a case in point, visual confirmation may be required when auser's finger has slipped from the soft buttons 20 or fails to actuate asoft-button through misplacement and a loss in finger orientationensues. In an active gaming environment, for example, with dynamic andrapidly-evolving control schemes facing the user, such miscues can beall too common and to the detriment of the user experience.

The touchscreen-controller attachment 102 is sufficiently wide and longto ensure that the soft-buttons 20 are aligned with the conductiveelements 106, but not overly wide and long to otherwise block orencroach germane domain of the actual screen as an application oractionable element is being rendered. Graphical encroachment beyond thesoft-buttons 20 may occur, when such encroachment is not deemedcritically invasive to the application. The conductive elements 106 maybe proportionate to the soft buttons 20 on the touchscreen 10 and alsothe respective hardware and soft-input ensemble on which it is intendedto operate on.

While a single touchscreen-controller attachment 102 is illustrated inFIG. 2B, this is not suggestive of quantitative limitation. In anembodiment, a plurality of touchscreen-controller attachments of varyingsizes, shapes, configurations and component dimensions may besimultaneously affixed to a touchscreen 10, in the spirit and scope ofthis discourse, should control scenarios of an actionable object 15 orobjects require it. As the present invention teaches control interfacesbeyond those that are attachably disposed, as with FIGS. 9A & 9B, forexample, a user may elect to use a different control modality than thatby attachment for soft-input manipulation.

FIG. 3A illustrates an unattached touchscreen-controller assembly,designed for remote operation, according to an embodiment.

A remote actionable-object controller assembly 302 comprises a remoteactionable-object controller interface 304, connecting cable 308 and aplurality of conductive elements 310 and 306; each of the conductiveelements 310 is individually attached, ensuring a chain-of-conductivityor conductive path remains present, to a conductive extension such as,but not limited to, a wire filament. The connecting cable 308collectively houses the attached wire filaments for each of theconductive elements 310, with care to ensure each individual wire isproperly insulated from each other to prevent conductive “bleed-through”between the competing filaments (subject to contact) housed in theconnecting cable 308.

Reciprocally, each of the conductive elements 306 in the remoteactionable-object controller interface 304, is individually attached,ensuring a conductive path remains present, to the opposite end of therespective wire filament originally extended from a conductive element310 and described above. Thus, a conductive path remains throughout therespectively tethered conductive elements 306 and 310 via a wirefilament connection.

The conductive elements 306 and 310 may be made of anyelectrically-conductive material or combination of conductive materials,including but not limited to, conducting polymers such as polyaniline,conductive gels, conductive liquids, conductive inks, conductive wireand/or any material that is conductively (exhibiting conductivity)dipped and/or coated—such as with the use of treated foam, thread, orfibers—used alone, in filler compositions or in a series of conductivecombinations, as aptly conjoined to ensure a proper conductive pathremains present. Excluding the housed conductive elements 306, theremote actionable-object controller interface 304 may be constructed ofa non-conductive material, such as plastic or rubber.

A substantial length of each wire filament remains housed in theconnecting cable 308; the exception being the attachable ends of a wirefilament, thus helping promote attachment and attachment flexibility.The conductive element 310 is married to the contact base 312 by anymeans appropriate, with care to ensure a proper conductive path to thetouchscreen 10 remains throughout. The contact base 312, containingeither a conductive component or constructed from a conductive materialin its entirety, is designed to sit conductively affixed to the softbuttons 20 (not illustrated).

FIG. 3B illustrates the touchscreen-controller assembly 302 outlined inFIG. 3A, delineating how it is conductively married—by contactualapplication—to the respective soft buttons 20 of a touchscreen 10; thuspermitting a type of remote operation, according to an embodiment.Variations consistent with its teachings will, of course, exist.

Each conductive element 306 of the remote actionable-object controllerinterface 304 is assigned to a correlative soft button 20. For instance,according to position, the top conductive element 306 on the remoteactionable-object controller interface 304, will see the conductive pathcompleted when it is positioned in contact with the top soft button 20.The conductive element corresponding to the right-most conductiveelement 306 sees its conductive path extended to the right-most softbutton 20, and so on, until each respective soft button 20 is properlyaccounted for and properly synchronized for intended navigation.

Each conductive element 310 is proportionate to the touchscreen 10environment in which it is intended to operate. Each conductive element318 is sized with care to ensure each does not block or encroach germanedomain of the actual screen as the application is being rendered and/orunintentionally overlap a plurality of soft buttons 20, upon applicationto its correlative counterpart. One or more of the conductive elements310 (e.g. including all attachment housing) may be transparent ortranslucent, minimizing any loss of view due to placement of theconductive elements. Colour coding may be used to simplify deployment ofthe controller assembly, amongst other means.

Citing an example of a capacitive touchscreen 10, two electricallyconductive objects, in this case a user's finger and the metalelectrodes underneath the surface of a capacitive touchscreen, arebrought in close proximity—without actually touching. When a user'sfinger contacts the glass of a specially-equipped touchscreen 10, a tinyinstance of capacitance is created between these two electricallyconductive objects. This instance of capacitance is cooperativelyinterpreted by both the processor and software running on the userdevice 5, thereby translating this touch into directives; such as whenattempting control of an actionable object 15. Touching the conductiveelements 306 of the remote actionable-object controller interface 304,is detected by the touchscreen 10 in the same way as directly touchingthe soft buttons 20 on the touchscreen 10 itself, making remoteoperation from a capacitive-touchscreen device possible throughextension of any requisite conductive path(s).

Although not illustrated, the remote actionable-object controllerassembly 302 can comprise a current-boosting device that is designed to,for example, intercept, then boost the induced capacitance engaged byfinger contact with the conductive elements 306, before it is relayed tothe touchscreen 10 in order to complete the conductive path. Such use ofan amplifier device may be necessary under certain remote-operatingscenarios.

Furthermore, a haptic embodiment marrying an adapted remoteactionable-object controller interface 304 with an actuator, such as asingle or series of vibratory motors and a vibration-coupling device,forms an exemplary haptic controller—also not illustrated. The hapticcontroller provides force or tactile feedback to a user, commonly in theform of a vibration reflex to touch. Vibration-feedback may be dependenton governing software, such as with the game play or activity ofcompatible-gaming titles relaying haptic directives from the user device5 to the haptic controller. In a game environment, for example, forcefeedback can be used to register events like bumps, crashes and playerdamage. A vibration-coupling device acts as an intermediary relay to thevibratory motors of a haptic controller; after first receiving “haptic”or signal directives from the user device 5, in one haptic embodiment,or alternatively, a separate intermediary-transceiver device (See FIGS.9A, 9B for related discussion) may act as the synchronizing relay agentof haptic directives from a user device 5 to a haptic controller.

Components involved in the relay of haptic directives can be suitablyequipped for a full wireless complement, although this does not precludeuse of a “wired” constituent and/or substitute. For instance, a hapticcontroller with innate conductive elements 306 designed to capacitivelyengage control of an actionable object 15, in the spirit and scope ofthis discourse, can see a conductive path to a touchscreen 5 completedthrough use of a wire filament.

Haptic directives may also be communicated using near-fieldcommunications (NFC) with, for example, a NFC-equipped mountableintermediary-transceiver device (not shown here, please refer to FIGS.9A, 9B for related discussion) designed to station—andhaptically-interact with—a user device 5. The use of NFC in thisembodiment is, of course, not suggestive of limitation to thisparticular example.

The haptic controller may be powered by a controller battery orplurality of batteries, a power receptacle and/or any other suitablepower source. Dimensions according to this embodiment are proportionatein size to the hardware in which it is linked. Although haptic feedbackseeks to take advantage of a user's sense of touch, this embodiment isnot suggestive of limitation and may be modified to wholly embrace thefuture of all sensory-involvement devices, including those beyond thesense of touch. Modifications to this embodiment will also occur ashaptic technology evolves and a new wave of highly-sophisticated hapticinterfaces surface, such as with the possible inclusions of hapticradar, haptic teloperation, force-feedback RFID and virtual drums andwith the evolution of nano-technology interfaces.

The conductive elements 106 illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B and aselements 306 and 310 in FIGS. 3A and 3B, and throughout this discourse,may be formed from an absorbent material, shaped to a desired dimension,which is then dipped in a conductive liquid, such as water or a salinesolution and packaged in an airtight container (sometimes referred toherein as a “cocoon”). Said container may be fabricated from a thin,flexible plastic material to prevent evaporation of the electricalconductor. The plastic used in this “cocoon” is sufficiently thin toensure a conductive path remains amongst the conductive elements 106,306, 310 and the respective soft buttons 20 upon application. Theabsorbent material selected for the conductive elements 106, 306, 310may be soft and compressive in nature, as to simulate the feel andphysical expression of “button-pressing” of larger, console-based gamecontrollers. The cocoon may also be filled exclusively with a conductingliquid, amongst a broad scope of alternative interfaces and/ordeployments, to aptly fulfill the requirement(s) of a conductive path.

FIG. 4A illustrates a simplified, cross-sectioned side view of certaincomponents of a touchscreen-controller attachment 102 (See FIGS. 2A, 2Band related discussions), as affixed, respectively, to the touchscreen10; with the conductive-elements 106 sitting in a position of constantcontact with the touchscreen 10 and the correlative soft navigatorbuttons 20, according to an embodiment. To engage control functionalitya person must simply touch the conductive elements 106 using the controlinput of a finger.

FIG. 4B illustrates a simplified, cross-sectioned side view of certaincomponents of a converse implementation of a touchscreen-controllerattachment 102 (See FIG. 4A), as affixed, respectively, to thetouchscreen 10. In contrast to FIG. 4A, particularly, the correlativeconductive elements 106 are disengaged from the touchscreen 10 at rest,according to this embodiment. To engage control functionality of acapacitive touchscreen under this system, the user employs the controlinput of a finger or thumb to both touch and concurrently depress theconductive elements 106 until the bottom surface of the conductiveelements 106 make contact with the touch-sensitive soft buttons 20. Theamount of pressure that is required to actuate the conductive element106 to a state of contact with the touchscreen 10 can depend on theflexibility of the attachment base 404 and the distance between aconductive element 106 at rest and the touchscreen 10, among otherfactors. Once finger pressure is removed from the conductive element106, the conductive element 106 will ideally revert back to its originalposition of rest (in non-contact mode). A spring-mounted conductiveelement can also be implemented for such reversion. (See FIG. 5 )

This resulting range of motion helps more closely simulate the “buttonbehavior” of buttons found on traditional game controllers, game padsand/or other such control or navigation devices of gaming consoles.Aside from migration to more “button-like” action, this system may helpprevent unintentional “button bleed” that can arise from such scenariosas slippage and/or incidental finger contact with competing conductiveelements 106, since the user must not only contact, but also depress theconductive elements 106 to a degree of touchscreen 10 contact to beengaged. This design, for instance, may prove useful for soft-button 20controller renderings where spacing between the set of independentbuttons is diminutive and thus, prone to “button bleed”.

The conductive elements 106 are preferably proportionate in size to thehardware in which it is intended to operate on and care is directed toensure dimensions of the conductive elements 106 are not excessive.Overly long conductive elements 106, for instance, can help create unduestress or pressure on the naturally fragile-touchscreen 10 glass whenfirm, downward finger pressure is being applied by the user. To helpsafeguard the touchscreen 10, a range-restrictive shield that surroundsthe protruding conductive elements 106 at the position of user input,among other means, can be used. This range-restrictive shield is aphysical barrier that prevents the conductive elements 106 from pressingtoo hard against the surface of touchscreen 10 and damaging it, and maybe similar to a backstop 14 shown in FIG. 5 .

FIG. 5 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a touchscreen-controllerattachment, featuring a single, spring-mounted conductive element,according to an embodiment. A cylindrically-tethered compression spring502 resides in a spring chamber 504 located in the attachment base 520.The cylindrically-tethered compression spring 502 can embrace asubstantial length of the conductive elements 106, with a measuredallotment of the top and bottom regions of the conductive elements 106sitting free from the coil wrap of the compression spring 502. Thedesign impetus being to permit fluency of motion for the bottom region510 of the conductive element 106 in making contact with the touchscreen10—when the upper region 512 of the conductive element 106 is bothtouched and concurrently depressed—without risk of harming the surfaceof the touchscreen 10 from coil abrasion. Accordingly, thecylindrically-tethered compression spring 502 returns to its originalposition of rest (non-contactual mode of the conductive elements 106)when the downward pressure is removed.

The compression spring 502 is secured by a backstop 514 near the bottomof a spring chamber 504. The backstop 514 may be a circular lip thatextends slightly beyond the circumference of the spring for properanchoring and is not excessively wide that it interferes with thefluency of movement of the conductive element 106 as it is engaged. Theconductive element 106 may be of varying heights and dimensions; thedeterminants of which can be dictated by criteria such as the size andorientation of the touchscreen-controller attachment 10, touchscreen 10and soft buttons 20. The diameter of the upper region 512 of theconductive element 106 protruding beyond the coil wrap, may be fashionedwider (not illustrated) than the portion that passes through thecompression spring 502, if covered, for improved comfort and contactwith the tip of a finger or thumb.

FIG. 6 illustrates a touchscreen-controller attachment 602, borrowing incertain characteristic expressions from a traditional joystickcontroller, such as through its shaft design, motion behavior andgraspable tip (in this case a curvilinear conductive top mimics thephysical expression found on some traditional joystick controllers,although this language is not intended to be limiting), this accordingto an embodiment. The soft button or buttons 20 (FIG. 1 ) arerepresented as a “soft orb” 30 and control of an actionable object 15(FIG. 1 ) or player is effected by dragging the soft orb 30 in a 360degree range of motion. A conductive element is fashioned into a stickcontroller 606 comprising a top portion 606A, center portion 606C andbottom portion 606B. The top portion 606A may take the shape of a knob,amongst other designs, to furnish grip comfort or remain “knobless”,while the bottom portion 606B acts as an actuating base designed tomaintain constant contact with the soft orb 30—displayed on thetouchscreen 10—during a full range of motions. The center portion 606Crepresents the shaft and may exhibit a diameter less than that of thecorresponding knob or base. The bottom portion 606B may be any of anumber of different shapes, for example: a straight shaft with no bulgeor a spheroid design or other bulge.

As understood by those skilled in the art, a joystick controllerattachment in the spirit and scope of this embodiment may requireappropriate electronic translation of movement; since stick-controllergestures can translate to the soft orb 30 on a touchscreen 10 in areverse manner to those gestured. Anticipatory software can quarterbackthis “electronic translation” and can be programmed to work incollaboration with such controllers at the source, such as with the gamedevelopers. Where complimentary software is not situated, designmodifications can be implemented (not shown) to includegesture-reversing components innate to the controller. The impetus ofany joystick-configuration measure is to effect appropriate actuation toall desired movements, whereas an “upward” movement of the joystick, forinstance, will result in an “upward” or reciprocal movement of acontrollable or actionable object 15 on a user device 5.

The conductive stick-controller element 606 is housed in an attachmentbase 604, which facilitates the conductive stick-controller element's606 directional and rotational movements and acts to simulate the “feel”of a traditional stick controller by controlling both stabilization andgesture fluency. The attachment base 604 may be affixed to thetouchscreen 10 by suction, static, removable adhesive backing or anyother appropriate means. A removal tab 608 provides for removal of theattachment base 604 from the touchscreen 10.

FIG. 7 illustrates yet another embodiment of a touchscreen-controllerattachment 702, featuring a customizable navigation-control system. Atouchscreen-controller attachment 702 comprises an attachment orcontroller base 704. The attachment base 704 comprises a plurality ofchannels 710 for receiving conductive elements 106. Thetouchscreen-controller attachment 702 may be oriented on the surface ofthe touchscreen 10 prior to attachment, such that a congruous pluralityof channels 710 align with the totality of the soft buttons 20 (FIG. 1 )displayed on the touchscreen 10. Upon attachment, a conductive element106 is inserted into a channel or channels 710 aligned with the softbuttons 20 (FIG. 1 ) to a point of conductive contact, thereby causingthe soft buttons 20 (FIG. 1 ) to be actionable from a customizablephysical interface that sits attached to the touchscreen 10. Ergo, atransposable configuration apropos to the specific needs of thedisplayed controller geography is present. This may make possible theuse of a single, comprehensive touchscreen-controller attachment 702 persoftware event without the need for a prefabricated set or plurality ofstand-alone, touchscreen-controller attachments (each potentially withwidely varying placement of its conductive elements 106) that may berequired by a user, for example, with a library of gaming titles. Suchconfiguration virtue may lead to a more ubiquitous attachment.

By way of illustration and not by way of limitation, thehighly-configurable attachment base 704 may be implemented as a circulardisc, containing a plurality of channels 710 that are arranged in agridded fashion across the attachment base 704. The attachment base 704may be circumscribed by a flexible ring 708. The flexible ring 708 maycontain a lower lip exterior that may be affixed through suction,static, removable adhesive backing or any appropriate means to thetouchscreen 10 (FIG. 1 , reference 10) allowing each channel 710 and itsrespective inserted conductive element 106 to oscillate throughdirectional finger, thumb or individual touch contact; thus addingfurther flexibility and customization capabilities to the embodiment'scontrol disposition. In other words, each channel and respectiveconductive element 106 has some flexibility of movement, such that itcan be gestured some small translational distance in any direction inorder to best match up with the touchscreen 10 and the controldisposition of its soft navigational buttons 20, where necessary.

FIG. 8A illustrates a user-device suspension apparatus and relatedcontroller attachment, according to an embodiment. FIG. 8B is across-sectional view illustrating elements of a controller attachment,as it is attached, through an adjustable stem, to a user-devicesuspension apparatus, according to an embodiment.

A suspension device 802 secures a user device 5 and anchors atouchscreen-controller attachment with adjustable stem 808, according toan embodiment. The graspable or handle ends of the suspension device 802may be molded to the contours of the hand, with rubberized grips, tofacilitate gripping and hand comfort. The grippable components may besimilar to those of a traditional video-game console, controller andthus, help provide the user with a more familiar tactile experience.“Pocket gamers” seeking a more “clutch-friendly” stead may likely prefera controller that allows for better grip mechanics and button logisticsthan the more limited stead of the direct clutch of a user device 5.This may be particularly evident in such situations where the gamer isnot looking directly at the controller and may be engaged in rapid anddynamic manipulation of the soft-button controller; such conditionswhich can easily cause the user device 5 to, for example, becomemomentarily or partially dislodged from the user's grasp and/or see auser's oriented touch input wander.

The suspension device 802 comprises a left-core assembly 804L and aright-core assembly 804R. The left-core-assembly 804L and the right-coreassembly 804R may be joined by an adjustable or fixed strip (notillustrated) or fabricated from a single component. The left-coreassembly 804L and the right-core assembly 804R, using laterallypositioned inner tracks or channels (not illustrated), may snap or slideinto position along the respective sides of the user device 5. A purposeof the channels contained in the left-core assembly 804L and theright-core assembly 804R can be to guide and lock the user device 5 atthe centre of the suspension device 802, whilst maintaining fluentviewing of its touchscreen 10. The left-core assembly 804L and theright-core assembly 804R can also accommodate the anchoring of—andfurnishing accessibility to—an attached touchscreen-controllerattachment with adjustable stem 808 or a respective attachment pluralityfor controller environments thereby disposed.

The face of the suspension device 802 contains a frontal-slotted groove810 that accommodates the touchscreen-controller attachment withadjustable (interchangeable) stem 808; the adjustable or interchangeablestem substantially permitting varying placement of the base of thetouchscreen controller attachment with adjustable stem 808 on thetouchscreen 10, for proper control syncing amongst varying scenarios.The suspension device 802 may contain a plurality of frontal-slottedgrooves 810 to accommodate additional touchscreen-controller attachmentswith adjustable stems 808, if warranted. The touchscreen-controllerattachment with stem 808 may house one or more conductive elements 106designed to capacitively engage (such engagement is not a focus of thisillustration) the soft buttons (FIG. 1 , reference 20) on thetouchscreen 10; thereby providing the ability to engage control of anactionable object 15 from a mounted, attachable interface, as it sitsattached to a stead-friendly suspension device 802, in the spirit andscope of this discourse.

The suspension device 802 may include one or more threaded-attachmentapertures 814 that can act to suspend accessories such as aneye-friendly magnification device 816; which can readily be positionedto magnify a pocket-sized touchscreen 10 as, exempli gratia, a game oran application is being rendered or a webpage or e-book is being read.The magnification device 816 may cover all or a portion of thetouchscreen 10. The magnification device 816 may be mounted to athreaded attachment aperture 814 by an elbow 818. The elbow 818 may befixed or configured to pivot and/or be manually directed for positioningflexibility. The magnification device 816 may be permanently attached ormay be removable. The components of a suspension device 802 are ideallyscaled to the proportions of the user device 5 to which it is linked.

The adjustable stem 808A (FIG. 8B) may contain a variable locking head820 designed to sit securely into the frontal slotted groove 810. Thefrontal-slotted groove 810 may be incised in varying shapes anddimensions; catering to any variance in design of the locking head 820.The adjustable stem 808A may be constructed of a rigid or yieldingmaterial—the latter tending to retain its position until it is manuallyaltered from its position of rest, to facilitate adjustment capabilitiesof the touchscreen-controller attachment with adjustable stem 808 acrossa wide range of the touchscreen 10. In this way, the conductive elements106 have enhanced positional flexibility under a manually-alteredconfiguration. Touchscreen attachment protocol may detail suction,static, removable adhesive backing or any other appropriate means.

FIG. 9A Hereupon depicted are three (3) exemplary control modalities ofthe present invention. The reader notes that each of said controlmodalities shown (913, 914, 916) is consistent with and echoic of basicoperational tenets of the intermediary-transceiver device first madepublic in parent patent U.S. Pat. No. 8368662. The reader further notesthat the depictions are, of course, not to be inferred as beingsuggestive of limitation.

Control scenario 1 is represented by annotation “A” 913 in FIG. 9A. Aconductive interface 910 is operatively coupled to the wirelesstransceiver 920 as shown and the wireless transceiver 920 is operativelycoupled 915 to the touchscreen user device 5, its soft inputs 20particularly. More particularly, a user manipulation of the conductiveinterface 910 is received as an input signal by the wireless transceiver920 unit which then wirelessly manipulates 915 the linked 5 soft inputs20 in accordance with one or more defined mapping precepts orrelationships. Annotation 20 according to this example is a softhalf-dial 20 being displayed on the touchscreen 10 and the actionableobject being 15 controlled by said soft half-dial 20 is a skateboarder.

According to control scenario 2, represented by annotation “B” 914 inFIG. 9A, a wireless controller 904 is operatively coupled 915 to thewireless transceiver 920 and the wireless transceiver 920 is operativelycoupled to the touchscreen user device 5 as shown, its soft inputsparticularly. More particularly in environment “B”, manipulation of thewireless controller 904 sends an input signal 915 to the wirelesstransceiver 920 which then distributes a non-user capacitive loadthrough a respective conductive element 910 (a type of conductiveinterface) to the linked 5 soft input 1 on the display screen 10. Thatis, upon application to the screen, the conductive element 910 is usedto impel soft-button 1 to action when controlling an actionable object2. The distribution at soft-coordinate 1 may occur by virtue of anapplicator interface 912 and in accordance with one or more definedmapping precepts or relationships.

Ergo, environment “B” 914 is not dependent on the user's finger being anelectrical conductor and initiating touch, as the wireless transceiver920 is configured to serve as the capacitive source and manager of thedelivered source load. Said differently of the capacitive source andmanager, the capacitive load is machine or device based and is managedtherefrom.

A soft input 1 may, according to a variant input modality, also beactuated by manipulation of the touchscreen user device's 5 housingunder an operable circuit and is not limited to manipulation bytouchscreen 10 only. Moreover, one or more parts of the appended FIG. 9A(as will be afforded to all encompassed figures) may, to be sure, alsobe used independently of the other one or more parts in an operatingenvironment and remain within the teachings of the present invention.For example, the wireless transceiver 920 may be programmed to perform acontrol operation automatically and not require the control operation becommunicated initially from a wireless controller 904.

According now to control scenario 3, represented by annotation “C” 916in FIG. 9A, a wireless controller 904 is operatively coupled 917 to thewireless transceiver 920 and the wireless transceiver 920 is operativelycoupled 915 to the touchscreen user device 5, its soft inputsparticularly. More particularly, a manipulation of the wirelesscontroller 904 is wirelessly received 917 as an input signal by thewireless transceiver 920 which then wirelessly manipulates 915 thelinked 5 soft input 3 displayed on a touchscreen 10 according to one ormore defined mapping relationships. In sum, by manipulating soft input3, an actionable object 4 on the touchscreen 10 is thereby controlled.As suggested, Bluetooth may be utilized for mapping control, although itis not a requisite wireless protocol. Any other wireless technology ortechnologies may be used.

FIG. 9B illustrates a touchscreen-controller assembly 902 (read: ascreenless, handheld actionable-object controller 902 for at leastcontrolling soft inputs displayed on a linked touchscreen) with awireless component 903; an assembly thence designed for remoteoperation, according to an embodiment. A wireless controller 904 withexemplary button inputs 906 is paired to an intermediary-transceiverdevice 920 using short length radio waves 903 or radio frequency 903,microwave 903, infrared communication 903, near-field communications(NFC) 903 or any other wireless technologies 903 for the act ofcontrolling an actionable object 15 or player, in the spirit and scopeof this discourse. The intermediary-transceiver device 920 is configuredto act as a relay between the soft buttons 20 on a touchscreen 10 andthe command signals of a wireless controller 904. In prelude of furtherfigure description, reference to one or more previous embodiments isfirst set to remind the reader that one or more soft inputs 20 arecommonly manipulated to control one or more actionable objects 15 orplayers displayed on a touchscreen. At least according to some controloperation environments.

The intermediary-transceiver device 920 may be constructed to draw froman internal power source, such as from the holdings of an internalbattery compartment, or from an external source such as an electricalreceptacle outlet, reducing the potential draw on the user device 5. Theassembly may also be constructed to optionally use the power source ofthe user device 5. The intermediary-transceiver device 920 provides fora variable form factor construction, at least including an enclosurehousing an electronic processing unit and a wireless module.

According to some operative environments, the intermediary-transceiverdevice 920 may contain a single or plurality of tethered conductiveelements 910 for contactual application to the soft buttons 20 of atouchscreen 10 by virtue of an applicator 912. Deapplication from atleast a first application state may be apace (e.g. representing a normaltap or touch), perdurable, interim or customized. The describedoperability may, as a case in point, be useful in some specialized,hazardous, restricted (e.g. certain areas of a hospital not permittingwifi, wifi access point bridging or cellular use comprising a network),inaccessible, remote, automated, cost and/or power conservingenvironments—perhaps atypically disposed.

The conductive elements 910 may be formed from any conductive materialor combination of materials including, but not limited to, conductivepolymers such as polyaniline, conductive gels, conductive liquids,conductive plastics, metallic or conductive wire, or any material thatis conductively (exhibiting conductivity) coated—such as with the use oftreated or dipped foam, thread, or fibers—used alone, in fillercompositions or in a series of conductive combinations, as aptlyconjoined.

Returning more directly to the figure, as a wireless controller 904 isengaged it sends 903 control or navigation commands to theintermediary-transceiver device 920, a mediating agent, for processing,and thereby causing the respective conductive elements 910, operablyassociated to the intermediary-transceiver device 920 (and throughcontactual association, the soft input 20), to be engaged accordingly.

The intermediary-transceiver device 920 may comprise an innatecapacitive source and capacitive manager, supporting the ability toengage a conductive element 910 or plurality of elements 910—by drawingfrom this innate capacitive source and managing its “transfer” ordistribution to a respective conductive element 910 counterpart; all ina manner faithful with the command gestures of the wireless controller904. This, without the need of actual direct finger contact with theconductive elements 910 or soft inputs 20 by the user in the act ofsoft-input manipulation.

Said another way, the intermediary-transceiver device 920 will preciselymarry the control gestures of the wireless controller 904 with thereciprocal physical conductive elements 910, thereby engaging control ofan actionable object 15 or player in the exact manner and order in whichthe command is sent by the wireless controller. With emphasis, a systemhas thus been delineated where conductive engagement is not dependent onthe user's finger being an electrical conductor and initiating touch(the control input of a finger) with the touchscreen 10. The touchscreen10 will respond to these wirelessly conveyed signals—as an innatecapacitive source is induced by the intermediary-transceiver device 920and then respectively relayed to the touchscreen 10—just as it would todirect touchscreen 10 contact from the control input of a user's finger(which, as suggested, is no longer requisite, as per this embodiment).

A hybrid system utilizing both wired and wireless aspects isillustrated, although use of a hybrid system in this example is notintended to be limiting. The innate capacitive source and/or manager, ofcourse, being dispensable components under wholly wireless operatingscenarios 918 (of FIG. 9A).

Other embodiments described or addressed herein, or ones that otherwisebecome obvious to a person of skill in the art upon reading thisspecification, may similarly be adapted for wireless use through, forinstance, the introduction of an intermediary-transceiver device 920 toan embodiment or embodiments lacking such a device. Introduction of anintermediary-transceiver device 920 may offer certain embodiments thepotential to become wholly “wire free” 918 or wireless 918 since thetransceiver can communicate directly with both the user device 5 and anyspecially-designed hand-held controller device, or potentially offer auser the underpinning of “less wires” in a hybrid system (e.g. 913 ofFIG. 9A comprising a conductive interface being wirelessly mapped),where available.

Such wireless button input 906 elements of a wireless controller 904are, of course, referred to in the exemplary and are not intended tosuggest limitation toward any of the serviceable input dispositions thatmay be incorporated into a wireless controller or its operationalenvironment. In some instances, the addition of a servomechanism or thelike may also be introduced to manage certain gestures or motions, suchas with trackball rotation of a wireless controller 904 in controllingan associated soft input counterpart.

Moreover, technologies such as, but not limited to, NFC can be used tofurther permeate a control environment, where applicable, beyond thoseembodiments in which the technology is itself mentioned. Theintermediary-transceiver device may also be referred to as anintermediary-mapping device for functioning as a mapping administrator

FIGS. 10A and 10B illustrate a touchscreen-controller assembly, moreparticularly, a controller for controlling the soft inputs displayed ona touchscreen to thereby control an actionable object, designed forremote operation, according to an embodiment. See also FIGS. 3A, 3B.

By way of illustration and not by way of limitation, each tip of theconductive elements 106 may comprise a liquid conductor—fully enclosedin an air-tight, plastic-wrap seal 1002—designed for application to (anddeapplication from) the soft-buttons 20 displayed on a touchscreen 10user device 5, as illustrated in FIG. 10B. Each tip of the conductiveelements 106 may be applied to the touchscreen 10 by suction, static,removable adhesive backing or any other appropriate means, individuallyor collectively through the strategic application of aplurality-containing body such as a matrix (See FIG. 12 ). A matrix maybe designed to have each of the plurality of air-tight, plastic-wrapseals 1002, each complete with an inherent conductive path serviceableto this embodiment, concurrently (and independently) placed in acontactual manner with its respective soft-button 20 counterpart.

Similarly, a mountable-attachment matrix with housing may be designed tohost a plurality of liquid-filled, air-tight, plastic-wrap seals 1002,each complete with an inherent conductive path serviceable to thisembodiment, for actuation, and may be replaced by less spatiallyintensive seals 1002 housing a plurality of conductive elements 106arranged in a reciprocal environment (the arrangement being dependent onthe soft-button controller to which the individual seal 1002 isrespectively applied to and intended to actuate), similar to theappearance and arrangement of FIG. 2 , plus the accretion of a cable1008 component in an exemplary disposition.

The material base surrounding and isolating the plurality of air-tight,plastic-wrap seals 1002 (as stated, with each seal housing one or moreconductive elements 106) may be non-conductive in nature, such as a basematerial of plastic or rubber. A plurality of cables 1008 may extendfrom the remote controller 1010 (not illustrated) and a plurality of theair-tight, plastic-wrap seals 1002, each complete with an inherentconductive path serviceable to this embodiment, may extend from a singlecable 1008 (also not illustrated) in alternate embodiments.

The liquid conductor in the air-tight, plastic-wrap seal 1002 may beused in conjunction with a thin length of conductive wire—for examplecopper, but any conductive wire or conductive material may be used tointerface with at least a user's capacitive load during a load bearingevent—which has its bare, metallic tip immersed, anchored and whollysealed in the conductive liquid located in the air-tight, plastic-wrapseal 1002 in order to form a conductive path and to prevent evaporation.The thin length of conductive wire, acting as a conductive element 106,is substantially housed in a connecting cable 1008 that acts as a wireconduit. The wire-end opposite to each tip inserted and sealed into arespective air-tight, plastic-wrap seal 1002 is connected to aconductive element counterpart found on the remote actionable-objectcontroller 1010. Thus, given an inherent conductive path is maintained,upon manipulation of the conductive input/element counterpart, it offersthe user of the remote actionable-object controller 1010 positional anddistance flexibility away from the touchscreen 10 as an actionableobject 15 or player is being controlled.

With the freedom of distancing the remote actionable-object controller1010 from the portable-hardware's touchscreen 10—made possible throughthe described implementation of a tractable corded length of conductivewire according to an embodiment—the remote actionable-object controller1010 can take on whole new design capabilities and more closely (andmore broadly) borrow from the user experience and physical expression ofthe larger, console-based game controllers used in home consoles/gamingsystems. Robust potential and support for controller customizationexists in its spirit and scope.

Conductive elements 106, in whole or in transmissive part, are made ofany electrically-conductive material or materials, including but notlimited to, conducting polymers such as polyaniline, conductive gels,conductive liquids, conductive inks, conductive wire and/or any materialthat is conductively (exhibiting conductivity) coated or dipped—such aswith the use of treated foam, thread, or fibers—used alone, in fillercompositions or in a series of conductive combinations, as aptlyconjoined to ensure a proper conductive path remains present throughout.For any single conductive reference (such as the use of a “wire”interface), the reader should regard that reference as being potentiallyinterchangeable with any and all serviceable conductive elements 106 orinterfaces and not just those listed above.

This embodiment further illustrates the potential for the combination ofdifferent conductive materials or properties—used in a link—to completea conductive path necessary as a means of controlling an actionableobject 15 or player, in the spirit and scope of this discourse. Theconductive path described herein is not suggestive of limitation orlimitation to the elemental components comprising the path, asdescribed. Therefore, without limitation, it is to be underscored thatany conductive path that is serviceable to the spirit and scope of thisdiscourse may be utilized for remote-operating scenarios. A conductivepath may be comprised of a singular conductive component throughout thepath or a conjoined plurality of distinct components comprising a path.The noted components can be designed in scale to the hardware in whichit is applied.

FIG. 11 illustrates a means of expanding the size of atouchscreen-controller attachment 1110 associated with a fixed set ofsoft buttons 20; an initiative that may yield increased user comfort,control precision and tactile deployment, this according to anembodiment. Due to the small size of some touchscreens 10 and thepotentially dense arrangement of soft buttons 20 this small footprintmay yield, amongst other considerations, a user may wish to increase theactual size of the touchscreen-controller attachment 1110 beyond theoriginal soft-button 20 parameter or alter the button disposition.

The conductive elements 106 may be configured to contact the softbuttons 20 displayed on a user device 5 on the exterior edges of thesoft buttons 20. Through external edge appropriation, the size of thetouchscreen-controller 1110 or actionable-object controller 1110 and/orits button disposition may therefore be expanded (the expansionmeasurement of which are preferably dependent on the variable of thetransverse-perimeter dimensions of the soft buttons 20) in an effort tohelp improve user comfort, efficacy and control ergonomics, while stillmaintaining full functionality since a conductive path remains presentin its spirit and scope. The noted components are ideally designed forthe scale of the hardware to which it is applied.

FIG. 12 The present invention embodies an applied-matrix 50 overlaycontaining a plurality of conductive elements 52 that are fittinglytethered to both the graphical soft-buttons at the face of theattachable matrix and the respective hard keys of a specially-designedkeyboard, keypad or data-entry device via a conductive path extension.Configured as such to at least facilitate the premise of remotedata-entry (including all environments not requiring a user to touch thescreen to type) for touchscreen based electronics or hardware, asequipped. Applications may vary from the illustrated articulation andstill embody its teachings.

It should be noted that in order not to congest the diagrams labeled inFIG. 12 , FIG. 13 and FIG. 14 , only partial quantities of theconductive elements, the soft-buttons or data-entry buttons and theconductive “hard keys” or “physical keys” associated with a receptivereceptive keyboard, keypad or data-entry device, may be illustrated andsuch illustrations are not intended to be limiting. A person skilled inthe art (PSITA) should readily ascertain like quantities and compositecharacteristics of each of the groupings and its typical whole in thespirit and scope of this discourse.

As a preamble to further detailed discussion; graphical soft ordata-entry buttons 54 rendered on a hardware's touchscreen 56 include,but are not limited to, symbols, numbers, alphabetic characters,graphics, etc. and may further include navigation, function, toggle andmodifier keys, etc. (such as Ctrl, Shift, Alt, and so forth). Thebreadth of possible graphical soft-buttons or data-entry buttons 54 isexpansive and includes any and all keyboard-based characters forpurposes of this discourse—from both traditional and non-traditionalkeyboards—in both English and non-English languages.

Control of an actionable on-screen object, in this particular embodimentbeing the data-entry buttons 54 themselves, comprise symbols,alphanumeric characters, graphics, etc. and navigation, function, toggleand modifier keys. Said control being rooted from a user's capacitiveload being transmitted through a communicable matrix interface. Humanskin having dielectric properties.

Referring now to the present invention in more detail. FIG. 12represents an embodiment with a decoupled touchscreen-controller matrix50 comprising a plurality of conductive elements 52; where eachindividual conductive isolate 52 in the plurality (at the face 50-F ofthe matrix) may be designed to be contactually applied to its respectivegraphical soft-button or data-entry button 54 counterpart. The premiseof being “contactually applied” will be particularized by lineation inFIG. 13 , with the introduction of co-ordinate mapping and furtherdetailed in FIG. 14 .

By aptly aligning to a point of contact, the respective conductiveisolates 52 of the conductive elements 52—found at the face 50-F of thetouchscreen controller attachment matrix 50—with their graphicalsoft-buttons or data-entry buttons 54 counterparts displayed on thehardware's touchscreen 56, and then extending the conductive path ofsaid conductive isolates 52 to the respective conductive keys K-52 of areceptive keyboard, keypad or data-entry device 60, the capacitancestored, for instance, in the finger of a user, is transferred onto thehardware's touchscreen 56, just as if the user was touching the screendirectly. The transfer commencing upon user contact with the conductivekeys K-52 (unless a conductive key is spring-mounted and/or designedwith a contactual gap and requires the user to concurrently touch, thendepress a key for actuation, see FIGS. 4B, 5 for related discussion).

This process thereby permits, while still using the control input of afinger, control of the data-entry buttons 54 remotely or away from thetouchscreen 56. More particularly, the control input of a finger'scapacitive load. Ergo, an enhanced, more user-friendly data-entryinterface is presented that can at least help bolster comfort,ergonomics, productivity and simplicity of use. Input efficacy ismarkedly improved due to the implementation of a more precise controlstructure, a greater familiarity of association linked to at leasttraditional keyboard use in a desktop environment and a return to atactile interface for the user, amongst other potential betterments. Assuggested, this can significantly enhance the data-entry experience whencompared to traditional or native use.

Each of the individual conductive elements 52 of the plurality, or aconductive isolate 52 expressed singularly, possesses conductive-pathextension capabilities from the back 50-B or tethered-side of thetouchscreen controller matrix 50. One possible means of extension (notillustrated), amongst others, is achieved by incorporating, throughfusion or any other suitable manner faithful to a conductive path, aconductive length of wire 58 into each of the respective conductiveelements 52 at the back 50-B or tethered-side of said matrix 50—on oneend—with care to ensure a conductive path remains present throughout, inthe spirit and scope of this discourse.

Application to the hardware's touchscreen 56 is made with care to ensurecontactual consistency with the graphical soft-buttons or data-entrybuttons 54 for intended mapping. Each embedded conductive isolate 52remains wholly transmissive of a conductive path between at least thefront and back of the matrix 50. As to the opposite end of theconductive length of wire 58, as per this example of a use made possibleunder its teachings, it is respectively attached to the reciprocalconductive key or plurality of keys K-52 (a plurality is stated here asan acknowledgement for the distinction of toggle mode, which isdiscussed later in this filing) found on a receptive keyboard, keypad ordata-entry device 60.

The shape of the matrix 50 can be designed to be manipulated to match upwith variously sized soft keys and touchscreens, for example by havingthe elements of the matrix 50 easily snap together and apart in variousconfigurations or having a pliable matrix that appropriately maintainsits shape until manipulated by a user, if so coveted. Similarly, singleconductive elements 52 may be manipulated individually to accommodatedifferences in the characters displayed on a touch screen, should designpermit, although any examples cited for matrix manipulation are notsuggestive of limitation.

The touchscreen-controller attachment matrix 50 and its plurality ofconductive elements 52 are designed to be applied, attached or affixedotherwise operably coupled to the touchscreen device. A flexible,hardware-friendly sleeve or case may also be used to position a keyboardat least comprising conductive keys. The touchscreen-controllerattachment matrix 50 may, additionally, contain an exteriorly protrudingtip 62 that can be used for convenient detachment of thetouchscreen-controller attachment matrix 50 from the hardware'stouchscreen 56.

The conductive elements 52, or any single conductive isolate 52 of theplurality, in the spirit and scope of this discourse, can be made of anyelectrically-conductive material or combination of conductive materialsas aptly conjoined, in whole, in transmissive part or in a series,including but not limited to, conducting polymers such as polyaniline,conductive gels, conductive liquids, conductive inks, conductive wireand/or any material that is conductively (exhibiting conductivity)dipped or coated—such as with the use of treated foam, thread, or fibersor related filler compositions, to which ensuring a proper conductivepath remains present throughout in the spirit and scope of thisdiscourse. One or more conductive elements 52 or interfaces 52 may, ofcourse, also be disposed into everyday objects and surfaces as per thedisclosure's teachings (i.e. said objects and surfaces being adapted forreceiving and/or distributing a capacitive load in at least manipulatingactionable objects).

The conductive material comprising a single conductive element 52 orconductive isolate 52 can differ from others in the plurality, but inthis embodiment, remains consistent in order to streamline themanufacturing process and contribute to economies-of-scale advantages.The conductive elements 52 may be referred to in its singular form, asit has been above and may bear root from its plural counterpart.Regardless, such singular or plurality references made will beunderstood by those skilled in the art in the context they wereintended.

Typically, in exemplary accordance with one or more aspects of thismodality, the conductive elements 52 are individually insulated fromeach other to prevent contact with, and “conductive bleed” or“capacitive bleed” from, competing conductive elements 52; unlessspecial-case operating scenarios require an instance of capacitivebleed. “Capacitive bleed” can result from improper shielding of theindividual conductive isolates 52 or related conductive 52 apparatus.Since a plurality of conductive lengths of wire 58 (each constituting aninstance of conductive elements 52) may exist contactually in cableconduit housing, this potential event underscores why shielding isespecially important; as to ensure intended data-entry actions result asanticipated. The premise, clearly, also being applicable to theconfiguration of conductive keys.

Ideally, the conductive elements 52 and correspondingtouchscreen-controller attachment matrix 50 are dimensionallyarticulated and proportionate to the hardware ensemble they are designedfor. The touchscreen-controller attachment matrix 50 is sufficientlywide and long to ensure the respective conductive elements 52 at itsface 50-F are conductively aligned with the graphical soft-buttons ordata-entry buttons 54, but not overly wide and long to unnecessarilyblock or encroach germane screen area or, similarly, skew any necessarycontactual-alignment requirements. Also, a matrix square containing asingular conductive isolate can vary greatly in dimension from acompeting matrix square of a conductive isolate and standardization ofsquares and square dimension across a matrix is not requisite.

Of particular note to the reader, embodiments and practical applicationof this subject matter can show great divergence in the field from theappending drawings (pertaining to this and other figures) and stillremain consistent with the operational tenets of its teachings.Ensembles of the present invention, and any various embodiments listedand encompassed, can vary in degree of construction complexity andconfiguration. Subjects, respective components, sub-components or aparticular arrangement thereamong, as found in FIG. 12 (and the thefiling in its entirety), may not be shown to exact specification,configuration or scale.

The conductive elements 52 are conductively aligned with the graphicalsoft-buttons or data-entry buttons 54, and may be attached to thehardware's touchscreen 56 as a possible interface, and in doing so,mapped with care. Not suggestive of limitation.

The attachable matrix 50 may also be incorporated as a stand-aloneentity (although this is not the focus of this embodiment) where itseeks the control or touch input of a finger directly upon touchscreenattachment and does not require the path extended to the conductive keysK-52 of a receptive keyboard, keypad or data-entry device 60. Theconductive elements 52, described collectively, or each respectiveisolate in the singular, may be transparent or translucent, minimizingany loss of view due to operational placement of the attachable matrix50. Such an operating scenario may see a stand-alone matrix, forinstance, incorporated into a smart phone's or tablet's mobile case,casing or housing under a retractable design (to engage and disengagethe matrix), in the spirit and scope of this discourse.

The user experience may be further improved when the disclosed premiseof remote data entry is married, synergistically, to such technologiesas: “Component AV interfaces”, that allow, exempli gratia, acompatibly-equipped smart phone to be connected—and to have its screenoutput transferred—to televisions fitted with component video inputs orsimilar linking technologies. Coupling with such technologies can helpcreate an environment that even more profoundly liberates the texting ordata-entry experience for users of touchscreen 56 hardware when comparedto use in a native environment. Business travelers may also find thiscoupling especially liberating.

Referring now to FIG. 13 in more detail, in an embodiment, a two-sidedview of a touchscreen-controller matrix 50 is shown (from a vantage ofits face 50-F and back 50-B), with its set of conductive elements 52,each exhibiting uninterrupted conductive paths running transversely oracross the entire thickness of the matrix. For clarification purposesregarding correct application of the face 50-F of thetouchscreen-controller attachment matrix 50, a subset of a traditionalQWERTY-based arrangement of graphical soft-buttons or data-entry buttons54 is depicted (non-toggle mode) to suggest intended conductivelineation of the face 50-F of the matrix to the hardware's touchscreen56, upon application.

Then, in order to more clearly depict transitional lineation, the back50-B of the corresponding touchscreen-controller attachment matrix 50 isalso produced in FIG. 13 to show a completed conductive path from aninput end to an output end, amongst the illustrated parts, in the spiritand scope of this discourse. The back is shown from a top-downorientation, as if looking down at the touchscreen-controller attachmentmatrix 50, with the front 50-F vantage naturally obstructed from viewupon matrix application in practice of this example (hence, the inventorhas chosen a side-by-side illustrative manner here for simplicity).

The back 50-B of the corresponding touchscreen-controller attachmentmatrix 50 shows an extension of its conductive elements 52 to theconductive keys K-52 (in this case, 2 keys, the actionable letters “A”and “B”, respectively, representing only a constituent view of the fullset of keys ordinarily present in a QWERTY design) of a receptivekeyboard, keypad or data-entry device 60. Said differently, theconductive elements 52 found at the back 50-B of the correspondingtouchscreen-controller attachment matrix 50 are conductively married, toan appropriate input counterpart, by extension via conductive lengths ofwire 58 (as a possible, but not an exclusive means of extension) to thecorresponding conductive keys K-52 (key-based conductive elements 52),as situated on a receptive keyboard, keypad or data-entry device 60.Again, the actionable letters “A” and “B” are only a partialrepresentation of the actionable physical keys typically available in atraditional QWERTY environment (a subset of a toggle environment) andthe array and disposition of both the graphical soft-buttons ordata-entry buttons 54 and conductive keys K-52 displayed in practice candiffer widely from this illustration and are not suggestive oflimitation.

Moreover, and of note, other configurations of at least one ofoperability, connectivity and lineation are expressly possible. Inreference to the figure, the reader understands that an operablecoupling may occur independently from the need to interface with thetouchscreen surface directly and may occur so by wire, wirelessly orboth as supported in at least parent patent U.S. Pat. No. 8368662. Thisalso applies beyond the conductive keyboard interface presented here.

The conductive element 52 individually assigned and aptly attached (viaa conductive isolate found at the face 50-F of thetouchscreen-controller attachment matrix 50) to the “A” key of thegraphical soft-buttons or data-entry buttons 54 found on the hardware'stouchscreen 56, will then see said conductive isolate assigned, whilemaintaining an inherent conductive path, from the back 50-B of thecorresponding touchscreen-controller attachment matrix 50, to the “A”key found on the specially designed keyboard comprising a plurality ofconductive keys K-52—composed of a conductive material 52—in the spiritand scope of this invention.

To illustrate contactual placement of a single conductive isolate(comprising the conductive elements 52) found at the face 50-F of thetouchscreen-controller attachment matrix 50, with the respectivegraphical soft-buttons or data-entry buttons 54 found on the hardware'stouchscreen 56, an X,Y grid is shown adjacent to both thetouchscreen-controller attachment matrix 50 (dual sides) and graphicalsoft-buttons or data-entry buttons 54. The “A” key of the graphicalsoft-buttons or data-entry buttons 54, for example, is located atposition X1, Y2 and noted. The respective “A” key position at the notedposition X1, Y2 on the matrix seeks contactual overlay—upon, forexample, attachment of the touchscreen-controller attachment matrix 50at its face—with its data-entry soft button 54 counterpart. Successfulcontactual placement of the touchscreen-controller attachment matrix 50with the graphical soft-buttons or data-entry buttons 54, in the spiritand scope of this discourse, will see each set of the identical X,Ycoordinates in the control structure (comprising a conductive path)matched in their totality upon matrix overlay. A typical matrix can havesome of its individual conductive isolates vary in size, positioning andstructure (versus the identical grid-composition of the matrixillustrated here) to more closely reflect the graphical renderings onthe hardware's touchscreen 56 to which it marries and this illustrationis not suggestive of limitation.

Similarly, the conductive elements 52 assigned and aptly attached (via aconductive isolate found at the face 50-F of the touchscreen-controllerattachment matrix 50 at position X5,Y1) to the “B” key of the graphicalsoft-buttons or data-entry buttons 54 (at position X5,Y1) found on thehardware's touchscreen 56, will then see said conductive isolatesimilarly assigned, ensuring a conductive path remains present, to the“B” key found on the specially designed keyboard, keypad or data-entrydevice comprising conductive keys K-52 (composed of a conductivematerial or elements 52) from a rear-modal matrix extension (at positionX5,Y1), in the spirit and scope of this discourse. And so on, preferablyuntil all available graphical soft-buttons or soft data-entry buttons 54of a given application (in both toggle and non-toggle mode on ahardware's touchscreen 56) are properly accounted for and conductivelymapped to their respective conductive keys K-52 on a receptive keyboard,keypad or data-entry device 60.

Illustrations shown in FIG. 13 , and throughout all diagrams, are notnecessarily to scale and may be prone to modification, adaptation and/orvariance in practical application, in the spirit and scope of thepresent invention. Disclosures and renderings herein are not intended tobe limiting. A person skilled in the art (PSITA) may also seek referralto FIG. 12 and other embodiments to appreciate the broad spirit andscope of this embodiment.

FIG. 14 details the premise of toggle mode, with a simple, hypotheticalillustration of a plurality of graphical soft-buttons or data-entrybuttons 54 that interchangeably share a fixed location on a touchscreen(and affixed matrix), as various character sets are deployed in a toggleon a touchscreen 56. In this hypothetical example, and disclosedembodiment, the graphical soft-buttons or data-entry buttons 54 “K” and“]” share the same fixed screen location, but not concurrently, each ofthese keys becomes enlisted to a shared fixed screen location only whenactuated by a toggle; in which both keys are typically renderedindependently, as part of a set of touchscreen keys or characters in anaggregate set or rendering. Toggle mode, in the spirit and scope of thisdiscourse, may be necessary when a touchscreen's geography is limited insize (such as with the physical constraints instanced in a mobileenvironment). It would, for example, not usually be either efficient orpractical for pocket-sized, Internet-enabled smart phones to fit theentire QWERTY-based keyboard in a single, graphical-rendering entiretyon its limited touchscreen size. Toggle mode makes, exempli gratia, theQWERTY-load more manageable. Arrangements and character sets of thegraphical soft-buttons or data-entry buttons 54 displayed in practicemay vary from those depicted in this hypothetical example (andelsewhere) and merely serve as a guide to understanding the premise oftoggle mode.

Where a toggle is effected for graphical soft-buttons or data-entrybuttons 54 that share a fixed geography or position (toggle area) on thehardware's touchscreen 56, a conductive length of wire 58 may be fused(or conductively serviced in any appropriate manner) to the conductiveisolate at the real-modal matrix point sharing a toggle area 70 uponcontactual placement. An additional conductive length of wire 58intended to actuate a shared toggle area may then be attachedaccordingly, either directly at the same matrix point of the conductiveisolate sharing a toggle area 70 (not shown) or along the corded lengthof an established conductive length of wire 58 (shown in phantom as adashed line), careful to ensure a conductive path remains throughout, inthe spirit and scope or this invention.

The respective conductive lengths of wires used in a toggle situationdescribed above, will, at the corded lengths opposite thetouchscreen-controller attachment matrix 50 fusion and/or amalgamationpoints (and at each respective conductive isolate comprising the matrixat full employment) be attached to the respective conductive keys K-52on a receptive keyboard, keypad or data-entry device 60 in order tofacilitate keyboard-based text or data entry, remotely from atouchscreen 56. The fusion point is the point where the wire meets theattachment matrix 50 and the amalgamation point is the point where thewires from the different conductive keys K-52 are joined, although insome operating scenarios, no amalgamation point exists because the wiresmay see direct contact with the attachment matrix 50 at the conductiveisolate. A person skilled in the art (PSITA) may also seek referral toFIG. 12 and other embodiments to appreciate the spirit and scope of thisdiscourse.

FIG. 15 illustrates three distinct character sets or digital “keyboards”presented on a touchscreen 10; each of which rely on a “toggle” foractivation—the premise of “toggle” being requisite for devices subjectto space limitations. In this embodiment, a QWERTY keyboard 1501 isdisplayed. With a QWERTY allocation encompassing nearly the entiretouchscreen 10 as shown, despite the diminutive status of eachindividual key, there is not sufficient room for additional sets ofnumbers or special characters to be displayed concurrently. The solutionto such space constraint is the toggle.

The upper-toggle button 1503 in the third frame 1507, for instance,changes the displayed keys to a “numerical-based set” 1505 (secondframe), whilst the lower toggle button 1503 in the same frame revertsback to the QWERTY set. To engage additional punctuation and the specialcharacters set of 1507, the user would simply touch the upper-togglebutton 1503 in the second frame 1505; allowing a user to refresh to anew character set in the same, fixed space. Both useful and germane tothe small footprint.

The letter “A” 1509 and dash “-” 1511 share a location, or toggle area,on the touchscreen 10. Thus, on the data-entry device, both the “A” and“-” keys are conductively married to the matrix point adjoining thisshared area of the touchscreen 10, allowing the data-entry device to beused in similar fashion to a desktop environment in attribute to thepresent invention. A “toggle” need not exclusively be triggered bycontact with a “toggle character” and instead a data-entry device canalso contain a “toggle button” or set of “toggle buttons” that cue therespective character sets automatically (conductive-path wiring notshown) when a “toggle button” is touched, then depressed (if, like in aprevious embodiment, the key is spring mounted or requires downwardpressure to be contactually engaged) or otherwise receives touch input.A receptive keyboard, keypad or data-entry device 60 can be designed toautomatically shuttle between toggle sets, when, for instance, a buttonon the data-entry device is pressed that does not have its correspondingsoft key currently displayed on the touchscreen 10. A data-entry deviceand related processor can, for instance, toggle to an appropriate screenbefore actuating the intended key stroke via an innate capacitive sourceand manager according to some operation modes, the reader may refer toFIGS. 9A, 9B for related discussion. The data-entry device may defaultback to a set of characters such as the QWERTY set or remain static tothe character set of the first keystroke entered after a “toggle button”has been initialized and can be completely customizable (settingdefaults manually, for instance in an option to customize togglebehavior) in certain incarnations.

In a variant embodiment, a receptive keyboard, keypad or data-entrydevice 60 comprises a flexible conductive membrane disposed with anarrangement of alphanumeric keys designed for depression by a user. Thedescribed data-entry device 60 operably links to a target touchscreendevice by any connection means serviceable and permits data-entry tooccur at a distance from the touch screen (for example, more naturallyat least at an arm's length). Said variant embodiment being fullysupported by the teachings of at least parent patent U.S. Pat. No.8368662.

Amongst a list of functional electronics, the keyboard may containmemory storage, a specially designed matrix attachment with OCRcapability, broad wireless functionality, including near-fieldcommunications (NFC), for pairing with a user device 5, a miniature LCDwith, amongst other means, message storage and draft output capabilityand, as referenced, a device processor that powers such improvedfunctionality, amongst other possible functionalities divined by thoseskilled in the art and not detailed here. Such discourse is not intendedas a limitation on the breadth and scope of the present invention.

The conductive data-entry attachment and ensemble, like its conductiveactionable-object controller counterpart, can leverage the use of bothhaptic and wireless technologies to empower functionality. Hapticinclusion may prove useful, for example, if a person was to use akeyboard, keypad or data-entry device, in the spirit and scope of thisdiscourse, for game play, such as with a text-based adventure orrole-playing game.

For purposes of disclosure, touchscreen based hardware—and references toa hardware's touchscreen—include any and all touchscreen-basedtechnologies within the spirit and scope of this discourse, premised onthe ability for adaptation beyond those that are capacitive andcapacitance governed. The present invention may, for example, requirecertain, modifications and engineering protocol to actualizefunctionality for non-capacitive based touchscreen—such as those withresistive touchscreen technologies that sense contactual pressuredifferently than a capacitive touchscreen. For instance, aspring-mounted touch element requiring downward pressure to effectpoint-of-contact with a touchscreen display vs. an operating scenario ofperpetual touch-element contact with a touchscreen display may be anunderlying modificative transition for resistive touchscreentechnologies. For any touchscreen technology that relies on an electricsignal to determine, the location of touch, embodiments disclosed hereinmay function as described without substantial modification and thoseskilled in the art will appreciate any modificative qualifiers that maybe necessary regarding the type of input electrical signal.

For touchscreen technologies relying on physical contact with/pressurechange on a touchscreen 10, such as with resistive, surface acousticwave, infrared, optical imaging, dispersive signal technology andacoustic pulse recognition touchscreens, modification may generally beneeded for remote input embodiments to convert the conducted electricalsignal into a point of pressure on the touchscreen 10. Notwithstandingany disclosed embodiments that can result in a point of pressure beingcreated on a touchscreen 10 and the possibility fortrans-interoperability between differing touchscreen technologies thatthis represents, this can additionally be accomplished, for example, bycoupling actuators to the conductive elements 909; which exert pressure909 on the touchscreen 10 when a signal is received due to touch inputor manipulation of the opposing end or the input end 908 of thecontroller in a conductive path. A intermediary-transceiver device couldalso be readily designed to convert input manipulation intopoint-of-pressure contact on a touchscreen 10 to cater to demands ofthose touchscreens. An innate capacitive source and manager could, forexample, be replaced by a system of mechanical relays of “contactualpistons”. Embodiments are disposed to modification and combination.

Although some embodiments are shown to include certain features, theinventor specifically envisions that any feature disclosed herein may beused together or in combination with any other feature on any embodimentof the invention. It is also envisioned that any feature may bespecifically excluded from any embodiment of an invention.

While the noted embodiments and accompanying discourse and illustrationsof the invention disclosed herein can enable a person skilled in the art(PSITA) to make and use the invention in its detailed exemplaryembodiments, a skilled artisan will understand and appreciate theactuality of variations, modifications, combinations, atypicalimplementations, improvements and equivalents of any of the specificembodiments, methods, illustrations and examples listed herein.

While the present invention has been described with reference to suchnoted embodiments, methods, illustrations and examples, it is understoodby a skilled artisan that the invention is not limited to any of thedisclosed embodiments, methods, illustrations and examples, but by allembodiment, methods, illustrations and examples within the spirit andscope of the invention. The scope of the following claims, and theprinciples and novel features, amongst the discourse herein, is to beaccorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass allmodifications, combinations, improvements and equivalent structures andfunctions.

Any particular terminology describing certain features or aspects of theinvention is not suggestive of language restricted to any specificcharacteristics, features, or aspects of the invention with which thatterminology is associated. Furthermore, any reference to claim elementsin the singular, for example, using the articles “a, ” “an,” or “the,”is not to be construed as limiting the element to the singular.

NEW SUBJECT MATTER ADDED TO THE TITLED PATENT ON DEC. 29, 2017

On Dec. 29, 2017 the inventor disclosed a body of new subject matter, asdetailed in APPENDIX A.

APPENDIX A

On Dec. 27, 2017 “CBS This Morning” aired a segment corroborating a linkbetween mobile phone use and the risk of developing myopia ornearsightedness. Particularly, in citing new evidence, the airingsuggested that mobile device use—an event typically occurringindoors—leads to a marked reduction in time a user spends outdoors andin the presence of sunlight (sunlight educes the beneficialneurotransmitter dopamine). A causative relationship was suggested.

In an effort to at least address this health risk, a new disclosure isbeing proposed by the inventor in accordance with an embodiment: apoints-based reward system, catering, although non-exclusively, tomobile devices. Unlike the more prevalent retail models linked topurchases, the points under this system are generated by the amount ofoutdoor time and/or physical activity a user participates in and aresynced to a user device or user profile for redemption. Particularly,the points system is used to at least grant the user access and durationrights to a device and thereby create an incentive for the user tobalance their mobile time (according to the Kaiser Family Foundation,digital device use is 7 hours and 38 minutes a day for those between8-18 years of age) with outdoor activity and fitness. According to anexample, special tokens may be provided for on-line access pertaining tostudent academics only, although a healthy separation remains theimpetus of such program.

To suggest by example, the points can be based on regularly-updated logsby at least one of a parent and teacher. And such a point system mayeven be built into grade reporting schemes of district school boardsthat traverse beyond the metrics of basic Physical Education classes toensure better time balancing principles in an ever-connected world. Itmay be OS and/or app based and be configured with or without accessprivileges; particularly if supported by manufacturers (preferred).

In another aspect, inter, intra and extracurricular tie-ins may also beused to at least encourage fill rates, physical participation and tospread adoption of the system. In yet another aspect, local, regionaland national leader boards may be established for official events andmay include sponsors, prizes and giveaways that can at least encouragephysical activity and/or physical activity outdoors.

A further and related disclosure of new subject matter was thereon madeby the inventor. Disclosed at present is an on-screen magnificationsystem linked to an eye-tracking camera module. While instances ofeye-tracking have been disclosed previously in the mobile field, thepresent disclosure, more distinctly, relates to a localizedmagnification technique that is manipulated by eye-behaviorcharacteristics. Particularly, the camera module is used to mapcoordinates of a user gaze (e.g. in reference to a display screen, whatsection of the display is currently being viewed?) with an enlarged GUIfield-of-view occurring concurrently at the processed gaze locations.

A utility that may prove especially useful in helping prevent user eyestrain during web browsing activities, email reading, texting etc., onsmall display screens. Ideally, the disclosed feature set described isbuilt directly into a smartdevice's OS and is linked to at least one ofa scroll feature and a text-to-speech option (e.g. for poorly codedwebpages leading to an incorrect scrolling function an audio reading maybe provided) to further expand the user-friendly interface. Conversely,it may also be app based and available as a free download and/oravailable for purchase from a trusted source using at least one of agift card, a device-based purchase credit, a physical currency or adigital currency in an established (e.g. an app/mobile/trade specialtye-store launched or aggregated by a major telco or telcos and supportingall major brands) marketplace.

Smartphones, smartwatches, tablets, wearables, head-mounted displays,personal navigation devices, etceteras, provide for a platform utility.The system may also comprise an AI interface for at least activitymodeling and may be pressure-activated in the form of a pop-upengagement from a menu system permitting the feature to be convenientlyturned on and/or off in an instant. Not suggestive of limitation.

Yet another disclosure was made by the inventor on Dec. 29, 2017. Itdescribes an adapted display system for light composition comprising atleast one of a plurality of magnetically trapped particles and aparticle acceleration and/or interaction process. The display systemfurther comprising at least one of one or more electric fields, magneticfields, electrostatic waves, electromagnetic waves, disturbances, windevents, ionization events and geo fields.

A hindmost disclosure is premised on the teachings of Faraday's law ofinduction. More particularly, creating and harnessing an Eddy currentenvironment for one or more touch dispositions on a touchscreen deviceas a basis for a novel input methodology and charging configurationthereof. Using the human finger as a conductor source to facilitate andhouse the closed loops of electrical current, as induced by a changingmagnetic field, for instance, and configuring a harnessing module in thedevice itself, permits for the creation of an energy-repatriation touchmethodology (which will supply at least one of a current and a charge toa linked rechargeable battery). The inventor proposes a speciallydesigned ITO-treated magnetic screen coating and/or a magnetic shellcasing of a device to act as the magnetic field and changing magneticfield source; which will occur as it interacts with the one or morefinger conductors being dragged across a screen (e.g. during the act ofa touch swipe) in rapid fashion. Touch swipes are, of course, a standardtouch input mechanic and will occur frequently (and productively) overthe course of daily operation. Ergo, adding the potential to extendconsiderably the operable time period before the battery needs wallrecharging.

I claim:
 1. A controller configuration for controlling one or more softinputs on a capacitive touchscreen device, comprising: i) a controllerpositioned on a user's body and having at least a portion embedded witha capacitive touch-sensitive surface comprising a grid or lines ofconductive threads, used to form conductive paths in a fabricconstruction or a nano-technology fabric construction, coupled to asensing circuitry and configured such that it is responsive tomanipulation by a touch applied thereto for making one or more controlinputs; and ii) a transceiver or a wireless intermediary devicecomprising: a processor; a battery; and/or the sensing circuitry;wherein the control inputs are operably coupled with the intermediarydevice; wherein the intermediary device is operably coupled with thetouchscreen device; wherein upon receiving the made control inputs, theintermediary device: converts the made control inputs to mapping actionseffective to control the corresponding soft inputs; and wirelesslyoutputs to the touchscreen device the mapping actions effective tocontrol the soft inputs, optionally with the help of a mobile app; andwherein the conductive threads can thereby control the soft inputs froma distance.
 2. The controller configuration of claim 1, comprising oneor more of the following: the touch-sensitive surface further comprisingat least one of one or more: conductive polymers, polyanilines,conductive gels, conductive liquids, conductive wires, conductivelycoated or conductively treated materials, conductive foams, conductivefabrics having the electrically conductive threads, conductivefilaments, conductive fibers, and conductive parts; wherein thecapacitive touchscreen device comprises a: notebook computer; netbook;monitor; television; smartphone; tablet; or wearable; wherein the softinputs are provided via a user interface; wherein the controller isdetachably positioned; wherein the controller comprises a non-conductivethread portion and the conductive-thread portion; wherein thetransceiver device includes one or more wireless interfaces; wherein thetouch includes one or more of: touches; multi-touches; gestures; andmulti-gestures; wherein the fabric comprises a haptic fabric comprisinga haptic actuator configured to provide a haptic feedback to the user inresponse to the touch inputs; one or more force feedbackservomechanisms; and one or more force feedback actuators.
 3. Thecontroller configuration of claim 1, wherein the touch sensitive surfaceis constructed by forming an array of the conductive threads or strands,or of an insulated or shielded conductive thread, such that it issensitive to one or more of: a location of a finger by sensing a changein capacitance; a pressure of the finger; a size of the finger; and amovement of the finger.
 4. The controller configuration of claim 1,wherein the controller and the transceiver are at least one of: wearableor part of a wearable; part of a wearable fabric comprising theplurality of conductive threads comprised of conductive fibers;portable; and unitary.
 5. A control system for controlling a userinterface on a capacitive touchscreen device, comprising: a transceiverdevice(s) is operably coupled to one or more user made inputs; thetransceiver device is operably coupled to the touchscreen device;wherein each of the operable couplings occur wirelessly; wherein uponreceiving the one or more user made inputs, the transceiver device isconfigured to: convert the one or more user made inputs to mappingactions effective to control the user interface of the touchscreendevice; and output, over the wireless link with the touchscreen device,the mapping actions effective to control the user interface; wherein theuser interface comprises an internet-based and/or a mobile-app-basedgraphical user interface; wherein the transceiver device is positionedat a first distance from the touchscreen device; and wherein the userinterface is controlled by the user inputs made at a second distancefrom the touchscreen device; and wherein the transceiver device isfurther configured such that one or more of its transceiver devicefunctions are controllable by a teloperation device comprising: atablet, smartphone or mobile device and teloperation app.
 6. The controlsystem of claim 5, wherein the one or more user made inputs comprise:one or more controllers having a touch-sensitive surface comprising amanipulable conductive material configured to respond to touch using acoupled sensing circuitry and used for controlling the user interface atthe second distance from the touchscreen device.
 7. The control systemof claim 5, wherein the one or more user made inputs comprise at leastone of any of the following: conductive modalities, non-conductivemodalities, nano-conductive modalities, nano-technology modalities, RFIDmodalities, NFC modalities, wave modalities, microwave modalities, radiomodalities, radar modalities, infrared modalities, acoustic signals,acoustic inputs, kiosk-type inputs and outputs, respectively; vibrationmodalities, vibration-couplings, haptic modalities, pressure-basedinputs, buttons, and serviceably interrupted conductive paths.
 8. Thecontrol system of claim 5, wherein at least one of: the one or more usermade inputs are communicatively coupled to the transceiver device; theuser made inputs are separately used to control a game; the transceiverdevice is portable; the transceiver device is configured to receivesensory inputs comprising an acoustic input and/or to provide acousticsensory output to the user; the transceiver device is configured tomanage and process Internet-based information-kiosk-type inputs andmedia control inputs for output to the user; a mobile device processoris wirelessly linked to the transceiver device; the user interfaceincludes app-based control; and the user interface includes at leastsoft-touch controls comprising one or more of: functions of an/or theapp, buttons, keys, icons or other graphical-representation controlelements.
 9. The control system of claim 5, wherein the transceiverdevice is an intermediary device configured to: receive data from theuser making the input(s); and, using the radio/wireless communicationinterface, process and output respective data to the user via one ormore available user interfaces.
 10. The control system of claim 5,wherein the transceiver device is configured to obtain the Internetaccess and further configured to control an Internet-basedinformation-kiosk-type function enabling a method of providing aninformation response to the user requesting information, the methodcomprising: receiving a command from the user of the transceiver device;analyzing the command; generating, based on the analyzed command andinformation obtained from an internet source comprising the Internetaccess and the Internet-based information-kiosk-type function, theinformation response corresponding to the command; and outputting theinformation response to the user corresponding to the command.
 11. Aportable smart control device, comprising: a capability of the smartcontrol device for performing an Internet-based information-kiosk-typefunction(s); a housing; one or more of: a keypad or plurality of keysconfigured to receive tactile input; an input interface configured toreceive acoustic input; and a touch-sensitive surface that is integratedinto the housing of the device and configured to receive gesture input;one or more communication interfaces comprising a wireless transceiverconfigured to communicate over a wireless link shared with one or moreelectronic devices at least including either one or both of a portabletouchscreen device and a stationary touchscreen device; a processorconfigured to: convert the gesture input, the acoustic input, or thetactile input to mapping actions effective to control a user interfaceof the one or more electronic devices; and output, over the wirelesslink, the mapping actions effective to control the user interface of theone or more electronic devices; and the smart control device is furtherconfigured such that one or more of its functions are controllable viateloperation comprising a tablet, smartphone or mobile device app(s).12. The smart control device of claim 11, further configured to enable amethod of providing an information response to a user requestinginformation, the method comprising: receiving a command from the user ofthe smart control device; analyzing the command; generating, based onthe analyzed command and information obtained from an internet sourcebased on the capability, the information response corresponding to thecommand; and outputting the information response to the usercorresponding to the command.
 13. The smart control device of claim 12,wherein: the command is detected as the acoustic input of acousticsignals, and in addition to receiving the acoustic input signals fromthe command, the smart control device is further configured to outputacoustic signals, or for providing sensory output to the user, namelyfor the outputting of the information response to the user for userconsumption.
 14. The smart control device of claim 13, wherein the smartdevice is further configured to at least one of: play games uponreceiving the acoustic input command(s) from the user; execute one ormore media content applications to play media content as audio, music,video, or multimedia upon receiving the acoustic input command(s) fromthe user; and operably couple to at least one additional smart device.